


There's a Ghost in the Back of This Room

by silentwhisper002



Series: After The Storm [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Based on an All Time Low Song, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt, Full on Breakdown, Hurt No Comfort, Its cry time, Panic Attacks, Peter Parker Has Nightmares, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), angst angst angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25976158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentwhisper002/pseuds/silentwhisper002
Summary: There's a ghost in the back of this room, and I don't like itI fall asleep with the covers pulled up, and try to fight itI gotta say, its hard to be brave when you're alone in the darkI told my self I wouldn't be scaredBut I'm still having nightmaresPeter loses yet another battle to the ghosts that haunt himTitle from Nightmares - All Time Low
Series: After The Storm [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883713
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	There's a Ghost in the Back of This Room

**Author's Note:**

> Brace yourselves friends.

Panic flowed through his limbs, twisting his insides and creeping around his heart like a predator awaits its prey.

He pressed himself further into the hard mattress that felt more like a grave than anything else. 

While his body was locked in a restless state of stasis, his mind was elsewhere, reliving the same moments over and over again. 

_“I just wanted to be like you.”_

_“And I wanted you to be better.”_

_“We did it Mr. Stark.”_

_“But you were never good enough for him, were you?”_

_“You couldn’t save him, what makes you think you can save yourself?”_

Peter’s eyes flashed open and he gulped desperately for air like a fish out of water.

He scanned the hollows of his room, and for a moment, he could see the nightmare that was still fresh in his mind. The shadows twisted upwards, taking the form of Tony, Nat, and others who had been lost to Thanos’ treachery. They reached out for him with their claw like hands. The chill of ghastly fingers caused shivers to run up his spine, and he backed further against the wall. 

_“Save us, save us, why didn’t you save us?”_

They were advancing on him now, trapping him in the corner.

With a wail of distress, Peter frantically pawed around at the hard surface until his hand slid across the light switch.

Dim, golden rays filled the tiny space, and the shadows immediately disappeared, retreating back into the darkness of his own mind.

Peter clutched onto the soft, cotton material covering his chest, attempting to calm his racing heartbeat. 

Turning his head to the side, he caught a glimpse of the very ghost that always haunted him; the source of his nightmares.

He remembered when they’d first put it there. It was a gift from Uncle Ben on his eighth birthday. He’d been so excited when he opened it, a limited edition Iron Man poster, complete with commentary, explaining how all the parts of the suit worked.

Once it was his most prized possession.

But now it was a reminder of all the things he’d lost. 

Slipping out of his bed, Peter tip-toed across his room, halting before the image that lived like a God on his wall.

He studied the artwork, taking in every detail even though it had already been permanently ingrained in his mind a long time ago.

Gritting his teeth to choke back an agonized cry, Peter reached up and tore the poster down from its perch. 

His breath was coming in shuddering, hyperventilating sobs, tears blurring his vision as he doubled over from the pain that stabbed his heart, spreading to the rest of his body.

Carelessly stumbling over his own two feet, Peter made it to the window leading out to the balcony of his room. 

Silently slipping onto the concrete platform, he stood in the cold of the night and stared at the sky, wondering for a split second, if Tony was looking at him too.

Shaking his head free of the thought, Peter began to rip the poster until it was nothing but shreds of laminated pulp. 

Taking two steps forward, he hung his arms over the railing and opened his hands, watching the remnants flutter slowly to the ground. 

He knew he’d probably regret it in the morning, but the phantom eyes that stared back at him from his walls were too much to bear. 

He remained motionless for a moment, allowing his body to grow completely numb before the fierce waves of emotion came crashing back, leaving the young teen winded, knocking him completely off his feet.

Peter fell to the ground in a shivering heap, allowing silent tears to form a lake of despair around his head. 

If MJ or Ned were there, they’d make some stupid comment about him being a loser and then probably suffocate him in a bone crushing hug. 

But it was 2am, and they weren’t there. 

_No one_ was there. 

He was _alone,_ and _that_ was the problem.

His breakdown continued to rage, causing his body to lose its ongoing fight with exhaustion.

More fear filled is mind as he slipped back into the inevitable, slumbering black. He didn’t think he had it in him to face whatever repressed terrors awaited him there. 

Pushing his now rock-heavy form off the floor, Peter brushed himself off, and trudged back into the confines of his room. 

He quietly climbed into bed, switching off the lights and pulling the blankets up over his head, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the familiar silhouettes his mind liked to conjure.

He’d told himself countless times that he wouldn’t be scared, but he just couldn’t help the nightmares. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> There are no happy endings in this literature class


End file.
